1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to fluid handling. More specifically, the invention comprises a drinking straw specially designed to delivery fluid below the bottom of a drinking glass, while preventing siphoning after an individual has stopped drinking, to reduce the amount of liquid spilled. The invention is particularly useful in hospitals, convalescent homes and private homes for use by bed-ridden individuals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When drinking from a reclined position, many times the glass or cup of fluid is above the mouth of the individual drinking. Rather than simply pouring the liquid into their mouth, a straw is oftentimes used to deliver the liquid below the bottom of the glass and into the individual's mouth. When the delivery end of the straw is below the fluid level of the glass a siphon is created, so that even after a person stops sucking on the straw, fluid continues to flow through the straw. This can be very messy as liquid can spill on the person's face and clothes. When a second person is assisting the individual in drinking (such as a nurse with a patient), the second person will usually hold the glass, and raise the delivery end of the straw to stop the liquid from flowing. This is a cumbersome two-handed process. While many prior art drinking straw improvements have been presented, the present invention is unique in that it overcomes these drawbacks by providing a down flow straw that automatically prevents siphoning.
A spiral drinking straw, particularly for use by individuals in bed, is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,517,884, issued to Horvath on Aug. 5, 1968. This straw is mainly intended for entertainment purposes to thereby promote drinking in bed-ridden and ill individuals. No other function for the spirals is suggested, and anti-siphoning is not mentioned, nor is the construction of the tube capable of providing this feature.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,196,747, issued to Quigley et al. on Apr. 8, 1980, discloses a flexible drinking tube with a check valve. The tube is intended to help individuals suck liquid out of the tube without the fluid returning to the glass. The siphoning problem created once the liquid is flowing, is not addressed in this patent, nor could the valves function to alleviate the problem as does the present invention.
A drinking apparatus is detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,699,318, issued to Donatello et al. on Oct. 13, 1987. This apparatus enables more than one person to drink from the same container. Each of a plurality of drinking tubes includes a check valve to avoid back flow for sanitary reasons. The drinking apparatus is not designed to deliver fluid below the pitcher of liquid, and anti-siphoning is not discussed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,048, issued to Seekins on Nov. 20, 1990, is drawn to a dual valve liquid transfer tube. The tube is primarily designed to assist individuals wearing gas masks to drink from a closed canteen. Two flow paths are provided with a check valve in each path for allowing flow in opposite directions through the paths. In this manner, liquid can be drawn from the canteen, while air is admitted to the canteen to avoid a negative pressure build-up. Due to the closed system, siphoning is not a concern, and is not discussed.
Another straw device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,987, issued to Matheussen et al. on Nov. 8, 1994. This device includes an enlarged portion on the straw. The enlarged portion is constructed such that once liquid is sucked through the straw and into the enlarged portion, a part of the enlarged portion remains filled with the liquid. In this manner, when a colored liquid is used, the part of the enlarged portion that is filled with the colored liquid presents a certain aspect or appearance. Siphoning is not discussed, and the construction of the straw is not capable of anti-siphoning action.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,268, issued to Katzenberger on Sep. 2, 1997, discloses a therapeutic drinking straw machine. This machine is specially designed to assist individuals with swallowing problems, and includes a pump that delivers a repeatable volume to the individual. While the pump and straw construction will avoid siphoning, such an assembly is cost prohibitive, difficult to use (requiring at least two hands) and is not necessary for individuals that may be bed ridden, but are capable of ordinary drinking.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.